AllFreeNovel
Share Us
PJ Harlowe
Pashen rushed into the elevator at her apartment building. She wanted to get home and watch Max’s weather segment from this morning. She had been recording the morning news just so she could see Max. She quite enjoyed his on-air antics. They were a bit silly, but it made her smile.
She quickly changed into her comfy pajama pants and a tee and then flicked on the television to watch her man. Yes, she was now thinking off Max as hers because well, they had been intimate.
PJ was all settled into her bed laying back on her fluffy pillows when she was taken by surprise. Expecting to see Max’s smiling face, she was unexpectantly greeted by a cute African American woman with long braids and a snark. The woman acted like she was nervous and didn’t appear to know what she was doing. Was Max sick?
Snagging her phone, she quickly shot Max a text. She waited for the little bubbles to materialize, but there was nothing. After a few minutes, she started to worry. Max always responded to her texts. Something was wrong. She just knew it.
Jumping to her feet, she slipped her feet in her slides and grabbed her keys. Rushing down the hall she knocked on Max’s door with a fervor. Come on Max. Open the door. Where are you?
“Max, it’s PJ. Open the door.”
The door cracked open, and Max stood there looking like he lost his best friend. He was wrapped up in his grandmother’s blanket and looked like a lost child. PJ immediately took him in her arms and held him tightly. She was not sure what was wrong, but there was something happening, and it wasn’t good.
“Baby, what’s wrong?”
Tears welled in his eyes as he pulled out of her embrace. Max took her hand and pulled her into his apartment. After locking the door, he ushered her into the living room and collapsed onto the couch. PJ took a spot next to him, nudging him to move over.
“Slide over and give me room to sit.” He did as he was told, and she continued talking. “Now, tell me what is going on with you. Are you sick?”
“I wish it was that simple. My life is over!”
“Dramatic much? Stop being cryptic and use your words. Give me details.”
“I quit my job today. Is that plain enough for you?”
PJ took a deep breath to release some tension. She realized that Max was just lashing out at her. He really wasn’t angry with her. She needed to be his peace, not bring war to him, so she silently listened as he told her what happened to make him leave a job that he loved.
“They wanted me to demean myself. I mean even more than I do when I have to dance for the camera. I just couldn’t do it anymore. At some point a man had to be a man and stand up for his rights.”
“Sunshine, when you say demean, what exactly did they ask you to do?”
“Don’t make me tell you.”
“Okay, I can’t force you to tell me anything, but I want to help. In order to do that, I need to know what happened.”
“Whatever, PJ.”
They sat there looking at each other in silence. Max was the first to look away, unable to handle the eye contact. PJ knew he would eventually break down and tell her what happened, but it needed to be his choice. Instead of pressuring him, PJ decided to be his comfort.
“I get that you don’t want to tell me the details of what happened and that’s fine. Just tell me what I can do to help. Can I write an email to your boss explaining that you took some medication that made you act irrationally?”
“That won’t work. I told the man to shove it up his ass. He knows that I wasn’t under the influence of anything. Besides, I am quite sure I don’t want to work there anymore.”
“So if you aren’t regretting leaving, why are you so upset?”
“PJ, I love what I do for a living. I know for sure Mr. Michaels will blacklist me around Charlotte so I can’t get another job in the area.”
“Then you’ll find a job somewhere else. Didn’t you tell me your ultimate dream is to be a nationally known meteorologist? Well, now’s your chance to go for it!”
Her heart sank a bit at that thought. They were just getting to know each other, and she really liked this guy. She didn’t want him to move away, but she wouldn’t hold him back either. Deciding not to think about that now, she smiled and continued being his rock.
“You really think I can do this? I want it more than anything, but I’m not sure if I can handle it.”
“Max Shine, I watch your show daily. Even though that dancing thing you do annoys me, I enjoy your forecasts. You are great at your job and there is no one else I trust to deliver my weather. Those men and women over at the Weather Channel have nothing on you! Believe that.”
The smile that turned the corners of his mouth warmed her heart. She meant every word she said. This wasn’t her trying to smooth things over. Max was a talented man and one who loved what he did. That was a very rare entity in this world. She really admired him.
